Officials also say 180 children have been abandoned crossing treacherous jungle from Colombia

Summary

Panama reported that 55 migrants have died and 180 children were abandoned this year while crossing the dangerous Darién Gap, a key route for US-bound migrants from South America.

The deaths include 10 drownings in July, though the true toll may be higher due to the jungle’s inaccessibility.

So far, 300,000 migrants have crossed in 2024, a 41% drop from 2023’s record.

Panama, under US pressure, has closed some routes and started deporting migrants using US-funded flights to address the crisis.